Sunday, May 31, 2015

The Demon You Know by Barbara Elsborg : Review

Title ~ The Demon You Know

Author ~ Barbara Elsborg

Publisher ~ Loose Id

Published ~ 27th April 2015

Genre ~ Paranormal M/M Romance

Rating

Synopsis

A good demon?Ezra is a timekeeper in Hell, responsible for building and maintaining the clocks that tick away eternal torment. He’s never believed he deserves to be in Hell, and when the reason he’s there is revealed, he’s horrified...yet filled with hope. But is this just another form of torture? When Ezra’s given a chance to go to the surface, he’s determined to uncover the truth, but his fellow demons seem just as determined he won’t survive the journey.A bad angel?Roman doesn’t understand why an angel who failed his training the first time round has been given the job of policing paranormals in the UK’s capital city. He’s consumed by unhappiness. He might not be in Hell, but sometimes it damn well feels like it.When Roman meets Ezra his failings come back to haunt him. Ezra makes him want to break the rules, but an angel protecting a demon? Discovery would bring an eternity of suffering, and with a boss none other than the archangel Michael, it'll take more than a miracle for the lovers to stand together.

Liza’s Review

“Everyone is capable of love, though many search their entire lives to find it and some never do.”

The Demon You Know by Barbara Elsborg is a M/M paranormal romance. This book follows Jumping In Puddles and Bloodline but can definitely be read as a stand-alone. I am a huge fan of this author and her witty and unapologetic writing style. This was definitely one of the more unique books by Ms. Elsborg as she has created quite a fascinating paranormal world. It was also absolutely gripping right from start to finish. So what happens when an angel and a demon have an inexplicable connection? Read the book and find out.

Ezra has been quite the oddity his whole life, never fitting in. Having been told that he was born in hell, he is the only demon that has grown to adulthood in the fiery pits. All others came to hell when they were sixteen or older. Now, as an adult, Ezra is one of the timekeepers in hell and essentially keeps to himself trying to stay out of everyone’s way. Ezra still does not fit in. He does not know what he looks like, but he does know that he looks different than other demons. Plus, he can’t bring himself to be as cunning, dangerous and mean as other demons. He’s a gentle demon who is stuck in hell right along with all the others. When Ezra is picked as one of the demons who gets to ascend to earth in the Corriendo, a group of demons selected to go to earth for a short period to obtain energy from souls, he jumps at the chance to finally get a chance to escape the confines of his life even just for a few days.

Roman is a fallen angel charged with policing the supernaturals in London and is also responsible for punishing those that have transgressed. He definitely has his hands full policing paranormal creatures such as faeries, werewolves and vampires, not to mention those pesky demons who make it to the surface from time to time. Roman may have an important job but he’s an empty, emotionless shell. He’s unhappy and simply existing from day to day. His mistakes haunt him and it is a burden he carries with him always.

Ezra’s appearance on earth throws Roman off. He’s unlike any demon he has encountered in the past. His acts of kindness and gentle spirit make Roman want to protect him rather than send him back to where he came from. However, protecting a demon can cost Roman everything. How is Roman going to convince his boss, the Archangel Michael, that Ezra does not belong in hell? How is he going to explain that he wants to keep him?

I loved the romance between Ezra and Roman. I loved how it developed slowly and organically. Despite the uncertain and unpredictable circumstances both men were in, they seemed to be exactly what the other needed. A shining light in their drab and murky worlds. Regardless of the darker undertones to the overall story arc, the actual love story was truly sweet and heart-felt. They both have a lot to lose by getting involved with one another; however, they are unable to walk away from the inexplicable pull they feel towards each other.

Ezra’s loyalty towards Roman and his sweet nature made him such an endearing character that I could not help rooting for. The fact that he made a choice to help Roman intentionally sacrificing his own happiness simply showed just how deep his feeling for the other man ran.

Both Ezra and Roman are these complex characters and this author does a wonderful job stripping away the layers and intermixing it with some heavy steam and a paranormal suspenseful storyline. The mystery surrounding Ezra’s past is well done. It kept me turning the pages completely engulfed in all that was happening. Further, as in most Barbara Elsborg books, we get quite a few hot and heavy scenes. I loved how passionate both men were with one another as they explored all that was between them.

Once again Barbara Elsborg has penned a captivating and moving tale with The Demon You Know. It was quite the journey but the ending had me happily sighing and feeling very satisfied. A highly recommended paranormal read!

4.5 “Demon Loving” Stars!

Purchase Links

Meet the Author

Barbara Elsborg lives in West Yorkshire in the north of England. She always wanted to be a spy, but having confessed to everyone without them even resorting to torture, she decided it was not for her. Vulcanology scorched her feet. A morbid fear of sharks put paid to marine biology. So instead, she spent several years successfully selling cyanide. (Try saying that fast)

After dragging up two rotten, ungrateful children and frustrating her sexy, devoted, wonderful husband (who can now stop twisting her arm) she finally has time to conduct an affair with an electrifying plugged-in male, her laptop. Her books feature quirky heroines and bad boys, sometimes two bad boys for each quirky heroine, and more recently two bad boys all on their own. She hopes her stories are as much fun to read as they are to write.

You can find out more about Barbara and her books at www.barbaraelsborg.com, catch more of her scintillating wit at her blog on the same site, and if you want to tell her how much you love her books, please, email her! bjel@btinternet.com